Coin-controlled gas-meter.



'H. 1'. 'SLOPBR. COIN CONTROLLED GAS METER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 21,1908.

nm/ 3% 5 4 K. m K

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD T. SLOPER, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

COIN -CO1\T TBOLLED GAS-ME TER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD T. SLQPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Gas-Meters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in coin controlled gas meters, and the main object of my invention is to prevent the introduction of a coin for starting the gas by an unauthorized person.

In the accompanying is an elevation of that side of a meter to which the coin slot plate and operating knob are applied. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the coin slot plate and attached parts, on the line 00 as of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the said coin slot plate and parts.

A, designates the case of one form of an ordinary gas meter, having a coin slot plate B and an operating knob 4 that is rotated for tranferring a coin from the coin slot to the coin drawer.

The coin slot draw1ng:F1gure 1,

5 is formed in the coin slot plate B, and on the rear or'inner side of the said plate, there is a slide 6 for opening and closing the slot 5. This slide may be mounted by any suitable guides or ways to govern its movements. As shown, the plate 6 is T shaped and is provided with slots 7, 7, in its horizontal member, while the plate is provided with pins 8, 8, within the said slots for guiding the said plate thereon. The upright or vertical member of the T shaped slide leaves the slot 5 open when in the position shown by full lines in Fig. 3, while the said member comes in the rear of the said slot and closes it when the slide is moved into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and indicated by broken lines in Fig. 3. The coin slot Jlate B is provided with a slot 9 below the lower end of the coin slot and extending transversely to the said coin slot. A finger piece 10 having a flange 11 is placed on the outer side of the coin slot plate with its shank or inner end extended through the slot 9 into the slide 6, to which slide it 1s secured Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed July 21, 1908.

Patented Oct. 13, 1908. Serial No. 444,587.

by riveting or heading the end of the said finger piece, whereby the slide may be operated to open and close the coin slot 5, by manipulating the said finger piece.

In order to prevent the introduction of a coin by an unauthorized person, I form an eye 12 in the said finger piece and on the outer side of the plate, on that side of the finger piece towards which it is moved to close the coin slot, I secure a keeper 13 having an outwardly projecting eye 14 adjacent to the finger piece with the eyes or openings therein in alinement with each other. When the slide is in position to close the coin slot as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the finger piece will be near enough to the keeper for the insertion through the keeper and finger piece of the hasp 15 of a padlock 16 so that upon locking the said hasp with the proper key the slide cannot be moved to open the coin slot for the introduction of a coin except by the use of a key.

The meter is particularly adapted for use in boarding houses and the like where various persons might put in the proper coin for starting the gas through an ordinary meter without the knowledge of the other occupants of the house who may have left the gas cocks in their rooms open. By my improvement the housekeeper or other person in charge, can lock the coin slot slide and retain the key, so that no one can start the gas except the person incharge.

I claim as my invention In a coin controlled gas meter, a coin slot plate having a coin slot, a slide movably side of the said plate mounted on the inner for opening and closing the coin slot therein, a finger piece on the outer side of the said plate for operating the said slide, and a keeper fixed on the said plate on that side of the finger piece towards which the finger piece is moved for closing the coin slot, the saidfinger piece and keeper being adapted for being locked together to hold the slide in position to close the coin slot.

1 HAROLD T. SLOPER. Witnesses HARRIS F. Home,

EDWARD C. SCI'IEIBLIN 

